Make an underwater volcano - SolarSystem.com

This Simple scientific demonstration It's a fantastic way to learn about volcanoes, tectonic plates and convection currents.

Volcanoes are mainly found in tectonic plate limits because the movement of tectonic plates allows magma to reach the surface. Ring of Fire Around the Pacific Plate are located approximately 75% of the world's volcanoes!

Volcanoes are formed in three zones:

constructive plate limits

destructive game limits

All three environments are places where magma can escape through gaps in the Earth's crust.

This science demonstration on underwater volcanoes shows how convection currents work. Convection currents allow hot magma to rise through the mantle to the Earth's crust.

How to make an underwater volcano

You will need to

A big jar

Cold water

Hot water

Colorful food

Small conical flask or spice jar

Instructions for an underwater volcano

Fill the large jar about ¾ full with cold water.

Carefully (ask an adult for help) fill the smaller container to the top with hot water and add a few drops of food coloring.

Carefully place the small container into the large jar. Watch as the warm, colored water rises to the cooler water above.

If you use a spice jar with small holes, you will need to shake it a bit to allow any air bubbles to escape.

What is a convection current?

TO convection current This is how heat rises and falls in liquids and gases. When a liquid or gas is heated, the particles move faster than when they are cold. The space between particles increases, causing the density to decrease. The warmer, less dense liquid or gas rises to the top, and cooler, denser liquids or gases fill the space. This creates a convection current as the process repeats over and over.

Convection currents and plate tectonics

Convection currents They play an important role in the movement of magma in the layers of the Earth's crust and mantle. Heat from the Earth's core warms the magma closest to it. The hot magma rises through the mantle, cools as it approaches the crust, and sinks again. convection currentAs magma sinks, it can move tectonic plates across the Earth's surface.

This movement of the tectonic plates causes cracks or fissures in the ground, allowing magma to reach the Earth's surface, and that is why most volcanoes are found at plate boundaries.

Boundaries of tectonic plates

Constructive plate boundaries

Constructive plate boundaries (divergent) volcanoes form when convection currents push plates apart. As the plates move apart, magma rises from the Earth's mantle layer to fill the empty space. The magma cools at the surface and forms igneous rocks. The process eventually leads to the formation of ridges and cracks. If magma erupts at the surface, shield volcanoes may form.

If this process occurs between continental plates, it creates deep and wide valleys in the land. When it occurs between oceanic plates, it gives rise to a mid-ocean ridge. Some examples of mid-ocean ridges are: Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, The Eastern Pacific Ridge and the Mid-Atlantic RidgeVolcanoes are often found along mid-ocean ridges.

This type of plate boundary is also called divergent.

Destructive plate boundaries

Destructive plate boundaries ( convergent ) the way in which convection currents push tectonic plates together. There are three types of destructive plate boundaries.

oceanic plate and oceanic plate

oceanic plate and continental plate

continental shelf and continental shelf

Continental and oceanic

Oceanic plates are denser than continental plates. This means that the oceanic plate is forced underneath the continental plate when they come close together. This is called subductionOcean trenches, such as the Mariana Trench, form when an oceanic plate is forced beneath a continental plate. The oceanic plate melts due to friction and heat from the Earth's interior and forms magma, which causes earthquakes. This is known as Subduction zone.

Magma accumulates in a magma chamber and then rises through cracks in the continental crust. If enough pressure builds up, volcanic eruptions can occur, giving rise to volcanoes.

Oceanic plate and oceanic plate

When two oceanic plates collide, the denser plate is pushed downward, causing subduction. The subducted plate melts and creates magma. When the magma comes into contact with the ocean, it cools rapidly and forms a chain of volcanoes called an island arc.

Continental plate and continental plate

When two continental plates collide, they do not subduct, but are forced upward and create mountains. Collisions can cause earthquakes, but not volcanoes.

This type of plate boundary is also called convergent.

Transforming plate boundaries

A transformed (or conservative) limit This is where tectonic plates move past each other. Volcanoes are not typically found at this type of plate boundary. The San Andreas Fault, which runs through most of California, is an example of this type of plate boundary.

Hot spots

Hotspots are areas where the heat from superheated magma causes the upper crust to melt and thin. This allows the magma to escape to the surface and form a volcano. These types of volcanoes are called shield volcanoes. They are flatter than other types of volcanoes.

Mount Erebus There is an example of this type of volcano in Antarctica.

More real examples of convection currents

Radiators and fires

Warm air rises from heat sources such as a fire or radiator. When the air near the fire or radiator is heated, it expands, becomes less dense, and rises. The cooler, denser air replaces the warm air, which is then heated, becomes less dense, and rises. The process continues to transfer heat throughout the room containing the heat source.

Hot air balloons

A convection current heats the air inside the balloon, making the warm air inside the balloon less dense than the cooler air outside. This causes the hot air balloon to rise.